Protective cap

ABSTRACT

A protective cap for gas cylinder valves including a base and a cover pivotally mounted on the base forming an enclosure therewith. A concealed locking mechanism is provided on the cover and is key activated to insert a locking pin through aligned openings in the base and cover to lock the latter in a closed position.

EJnite States Patent 1 Connolly PROTECTIVE CAP [75] Inventor: Edward A. Connolly, Williamsville [73] Assignee: Fraser Sweatman, lnc., Lancaster,

Dec. 2, 1971 [2]] Appl. No.: 204,193

22 Filed:

[52] US. Cl ..l37/382 [51] Int. Cl ..F16k 35/00 [58] Field of Search ..l37/377, 382, 383, 382.5

[ 1 Mar. 27, 1973 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,626,961 l2/l97l Quinones "137/382 Primary ExaminerHenry T. Klinksiek Attorney-Conrad Christel et al.

57 ABSTRACT A protective cap for gas cylinder valves including a base and a cover pivotally mounted on the base forming an enclosure therewith. A concealed locking mechanism is provided on the cover and is key activated to insert a locking pin through aligned openings in the base and cover to lock the latter in a closed position.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTFUHARZYIHH 722,533

' FIG. 1.

INVENTOQ Edward A. Conn0\ 2O ATTORNEYS PROTECTIVE CAP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a protective cap or cover mounted on one end of a high pressure gas cylinder for enclosing control valves and, more particularly, to such a protective cap having concealed locking means.

Gases under high pressures are conventionally stored in thick-walled metal cylinders having control valves mounted on one end of such cylinders. In order to protect these control valves and the attendant fittings during storage and handling, a threaded cap is secured to the upper reduced end of the cylinder. However, the task of threading and unthreading these covers is difficult and time consuming. Protective caps provided with a pair of hinged portions, one of which can be pivoted out of the way for access to the control valve and fittings therein when required for use without the necessity of unthreading the cap, are known. While these hinged covers facilitate the opening and closing of the cap for easy access to the control valves housed therein, they also encourage unauthorized access thereto and use of the gaseous contents. Especially susceptible to such unauthorized use are gaseous anesthetics, such as nitrous oxide for example, which produces an euphoric effect. While it is known to provide protective covers with locks, these conventionally take the form of a padlock located exteriorly of the cap and in which the shackle thereof can be easily severed or sawed through to disable the padlock by those wishing to pilfer the gas.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved protective cap having concealed locking means preventing unauthorized access to the contents of a gas-filled container.

The protective cap of the present invention, as hereinafter described, provides a solution to the above problems by providing a protective cap having a base and a pivotable cover forming with the base an enclosure for the control valve and associated fittings. The cover is provided with a cylindrical locking mechanism which is key activated to insert a concealed locking pin into an opening in the base to lock the cover in the closed position.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages and characterizing features of the protective cap of the present invention are pointed out in detail in the following description of a typical embodiment thereof considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing depicting the same wherein like numerals represent like parts throughout the various views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a protective cap constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the cover pivoted into an open position; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, illustrating the locking pin in its extended position locking the cover to the base of the protective cap of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT Referring now in detail to the drawing, there is shown in FIG. 1 an illustrative embodiment of a protective cap, comprehensively designated 10, constructed in accordance with this invention and adapted to be mounted on the upper end of a high pressure gas storage cylinder for enclosing the control valve means therefor. Cap 10 comprises a base 12 and a cover 14 pivotally connected together by means of a hinge arrangement 16 to form an enclosure for the control valve, the handwheel therefor, and the associated fittings, shown in phantom in FIG. 2.

Base 12 comprises a hollow, generally cylindrical upper portion 18 and a lower portion or neck 20 of reduced diameter provided with internal threads 22 for engagement with the externally threaded collar at the upper end of a conventional gas cylinder, also indicated in phantom in FIG. 2. Portion 18 is provided with an upper marginal edge comprised of a rear, horizontally extending portion 24 and a major inclined portion 26 extending downwardly at an angle from rear portion 24 to the front of portion 18. The terms upper, lower, top, bottom, and the like, as used herein, are applied only for convenience of description with reference to the drawing and are not used in a limiting sense. For purposes of this description, the forward end of cap 10 is taken to be the left side thereof as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Cover 14 has a hollow, generally cylindrical configuration open at its lower end and closed at its upper end by a curved, dome-like end wall 30. The lower end of cover 14 is provided with an outwardly offset peripheral flange or skirt 32 adapted to overlie the upper portion of base 12 in the closed position as shown in FIG. 3, the offset of skirt 32 providing a shoulder seating on edge 26 when the cover is closed. Skirt 32 is provided with an inclined lower edge 34 extending downwardly at generally the same angle as inclined portion 26 toward the front of cover 14. A suitable opening (not shown) is provided in the front or face of cover 14 which opening extends through edge 34 to provide access into cap 10 when cover 14 is closed for the passage of hoses and conduits therethrou'gh leading to the equipment adapted to utilize the gas. The conduit opening is narrow and does not permit access to the control valve when the cover is closed.

Hinge arrangement 16 includes an elongated, generally U-shaped lug 36 provided with spaced legs 38 welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the rear end of base 12 adjacent the upper edge thereof. Cover 14 is provided with a U-shaped member 40 having the bight portion thereof disposed in lug 36 and provided with spaced legs 42 welded or otherwise fixedly secured to v the rear end of cover 14 adjacent the lower edge thereof.

the forward end thereof and welded or otherwise fixed thereto. it could be formed integral therewith. A spring loaded plunger 50 is telescopically received in housing 48 and is provided with a locking pin 52 (FIG. 3) at its inner end. Skirt 32 and the upper, forward portion of base 12 are provided with openings 54 and 56, respectively, which are in registry when cover 14 is in the closed position to receive pin 52 and thereby lock cover 14 to base 12.

Plunger 50 contains the usual locking components and tumblers (not shown) actuated by a rotatable member 58 provided in plunger 50 and having a key slot 60 for receiving a key. When plunger 50 is depressed within housing 48 against the bias of a spring or some other suitable resilient means (not shown) to insert pin 52 into the aligned openings 54 and 56 (FIG. 3) in the closed position of cover 14, member 58 is key actuated and rotated in one direction to actuate the internal locking components and/or tumblers to lock plunger 50 in such depressed position. In releasing plunger 50, member 58 is key actuated in the opposite direction to disable the internal locking components and allow the biasing means to urge plunger 50 axially outwardly, withdrawing pin 52 out of locking engagement with openings 54 and 56 to allow cover 14 to be swung into an open position. The lock mechanism for actuating pin 52 is of a conventional type, well understood by those familiar with lock mechanisms.

It is a feature of this invention that locking pin 52 is completely concealed and in its locking position is virtually inaccessible for tampering by unauthorized persons. Moreover, the combined thicknesses of the telescopic members 48, 50 or the overall diameter of locking member 46 in its locking position is many times greater than the diameter of the conventional shackle of a padlock customarily used for such purposes, to discourage the use of a hacksaw or other makeshift tool to saw through the locking mechanism thereby rendering the latter more tamper proof.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that the objects of the present invention have been fully accomplished. As a result of this invention, cover 14 is securely locked to base 12 by means of a concealed locking mechanism to prevent the unauthorized opening of cover 14 and thereby prevent unauthorized access to the control valve enclosed therein. Locking mechanism 46 is fixed to cover 14 and when in the locked position, completely shields locking pin 52 so as to render the latter virtually inaccessible and discourage the tampering therewith by unauthorized persons.

A preferred embodiment of this invention having been disclosed in detail, it is to be understood that this has been done by way of illustration only.

I claim:

1. A protective cap for valves on pressurized gas containers comprising: a base having means for attachment to a gas storage cylinder and an open end, a cover having an open end, means pivotally mounting said cover on said base for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position, said cover having an offset portion adjacent the open end thereof overlying a portion of said base open end when in said closed position, said base portion having an opening therein, and key actuated locking means including a pin insertable into said opening to lock said cover to said base.

2. A protective cap according to claim 1 in which said locking means is carried by said cover offset portion.

3. A protective cap according to claim 1 wherein said locking means includes a housing carried by said cover for shielding and concealing said locking pin.

4. A protective cap according to claim 1 wherein said base open end is defined by a marginal edge having a straight portion and a major inclined portion extending from the region of said pivotal means downwardly at an angle toward said locking means, said cover offset portion being substantially parallel to said inclined portion of said base marginal edge in overlapping relation thereto in the closed position of said cover.

5. A protective cap according to claim 1, wherein said offset portion has an opening therethrough aligned with said base portion opening when said cover is closed, said locking means being contained in a housing carried by said cover and said lock pin passing through said al'med openings. 

1. A protective cap for valves on pressurized gas containers comprising: a base having means for attachment to a gas storage cylinder and an open end, a cover having an open end, means pivotally mounting said cover on said base for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position, said cover having an offset portion adjacent the open end thereof overlying a portion of said base open end when in said closed position, said base portion having an opening therein, and key actuated locking means including a pin insertable into said opening to lock said cover to said base.
 2. A protective cap according to claim 1 in which said locking means is carried by said cover offset portion.
 3. A protective cap according to claim 1 wherein said locking means includes a housing carried by said cover for shielding and concealing said locking pin.
 4. A protective cap according to claim 1 wherein said base open end is defined by a marginal edge having a straight portion and a major inclined portion extending from the region of said pivotal means downwardly at an angle toward said locking means, said cover offset portion being substantially parallel to said inclined portion of said base marginal edge in overlapping relation thereto in the closed position of said cover.
 5. A protective cap according to claim 1, wherein said offset portion has an opening therethrough aligned with said base portion opening when said cover is closed, said locking means being contained in a housing carried by said cover and said lock pin passing through said alined openings. 